Praetor
by Pyrite-chan
Summary: The world of the Avatar has fallen out of balance and now it must be repaired. Now the praetor has returned and must find the Avatar, make allies, and master her bending before it's too late ZOC AK
1. Awakenings

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

This little plot has been nagging me ever since I first watched Avatar, and, since it refuses to leave my head, I decided to post my little plot bunny . I hope you like it, and I crave feedback!

Oh, this is only accurate up until the third chapter of the first book of Avatar: The Last Airbender, since I have yet to see further.

Praetor

Chapter One: Balance

Nature always balances itself out; it is a fact that cannot be overlooked. Man, on the other hand, seems to constantly create chaos to upset that balance. Nature, then, came up with a solution…

The four great powers of nature, water, wind, fire, and earth, exemplify that balance. Fire and Water balance each other, as do Earth and Air. Neither is more powerful than the other three, and all can coexist in harmony. The creation of the Benders, however, posed a new problem to nature.

Humans are chaos. They cannot be regulated or restrained by nature and are forever discovering new ways to escape her. War, greed, and hate are simply a few of the conflicts. Any portion of elemental benders could raise an army to subdue the other three and become the dominant element through careful planning and superior numbers. To balance this chaos, the Avatar was created. A bender who could control all elements was nature's assurance that all would be balanced because the existence of an Avatar proved that no element could dominate another.

One loose end remained, however. The Avatar, being human, was also subject to human failings. What was to keep the powerful balance from becoming corrupt itself? Balance. Balance is nature's key. So, the Praetor was created; a being that possessed the power to bend all elements, but was not as powerful as the Avatar. Instead, an important responsibility rested on the Praetor's shoulders, equal to the Avatar's duty of Peacekeeping…

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Actions unforeseen, however, thwarted Nature's well-laid plans. The Avatar became dormant and, linked by duty and nature, dragged the Praetor down into oblivion as well…

One hundred years would pass before the Avatar was awakened. And as the earth felt the shocks and aftereffects of his reawakening, a sleeping figure deep within stirred and opened a glowing ebony eye.

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I know, I know, it's a short intro, but I felt I had to introduce the logic behind my plot. Please tell me if you like this and click that pretty little button…

py


	2. Meetings

Thank you to all who read my ridiculously short first chapter. They will get longer after this one and the characters are introduced.

Don't own Avatar.

Chapter Two: Meetings.

"Huh?" Aang quickly sat up, rousing himself from sleep and causing Kitara to turn around and look at him in confusion.

"Is something wrong?" She asked, worry evident in her voice.

"I…" Aang paused and took in the obvious worry on Kitara's face before answering. "I thought I felt something, but it's probably nothing."

"Are you sure?" Kitara asked, putting down Appa's reigns and climbing over to where Aang sat.

Ignoring the prickly feeling that had climbed up his spine, Aang smiled and placed his hand behind his head in a sheepish gesture. "Yup. It was probably just a dream or something."

Kitara looked skeptically at her friend, torn between questioning him further or trusting him and pretending that he only rubbed the back of his head while he was keeping something from her. A loud snore from Sokka snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Well, now that I'm up, why don't you get some sleep and I'll watch over Appa?" He said good-naturedly as Kitara noticed how her eyes suddenly felt heavy.

"That would be…" Kitara yawned and then smiled softly at Aang. "…nice."

Aang smiled softly back and watched as Kitara curled up and drifted off to sleep before climbing up by the reigns.

"Hey there Appa…" He mumbled softly, settling into his seat and gazing at the soothing movement of moonlight on the waves.

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There was something wrong with the village she had stumbled upon. The lights in the windows attested to its population, but the streets were bare and no sound could be heard coming from within. Sighing, the figure made her way down the main street, determined to discover the reason for that village's fear. Ignoring the curious gazes she could feel coming from the shuttered windows, she walked out of the village and to the cove before she saw it.

A giant iron ship was anchored in the harbor. It actually took her a few minutes to realize it was a ship, and she had no idea how it traveled without sinking to the bottom of the ocean, but a ship it was. It was a menacing figure with smokestacks spewing black soot into the air, tainting it with an oily smell, and its sharp edges and dark coloring made it seem all the more frightening. As she approached the ship, she wondered how one boarded that monstrosity with its slick sides and no apparent ramp.

Shrugging to herself, she rolled up her sleeves and grabbed a rope left in a tiny fishing boat. After she attached a hook to it, she flung it up and over the side of the ship, wincing as she heard it connect and catch with a clang. Slowly, she scaled the shadowed side of the ship, occasionally muttering phrases to herself, such as "One bloody hundred years. What do you expect?"

She landed softly on the surprisingly deserted deck. Looking around, she made out a flag on the helm; one she recognized from the fire nation. Suppressing several questions that popped into her mind, mainly what a warship from the fire nation was doing in a peaceful village belonging to the earth nation; she walked across the deck and towards the stairs to the upper deck.

The first thing she noticed when she stepped onto the deck was not the gorgeous view nor the maps laid out near a lamp on the table, but the figure at the bow who turned around and reflexively sent a fireball towards her. Mentally berating herself for not expecting some sort of sentry, she deflected the fire by quickly hitting it with her own blast of fire, throwing it off course.

"What are you doing on my ship?" The figure before her growled threateningly as he allowed his irritation to show through the fire appearing in his hands.

She remained silent, attempting to figure out the best way to extract herself from her situation without reveling herself. Too bad, however, that the man in front of her had no patience or intention of listening to her answer. Before she could snap herself out of her thoughts, she found herself forced against the railing with her assailant's hand curled about her neck.

"I'll ask you once more; Why are you here?"

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I know that was rather short, but I feel that the intro has to be. You WILL learn the girl's name and significance in the next chapter, which may be posted by tomorrow and it WILL be longer.

Please click on that pretty little purple button. Come on, you know you want to do it.


	3. Explanations

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar, but if anyone wishes to plot how to steal the ownership with me, you're more than welcome.

Ok, here's the third chapter and you finally get some names. I hope this doesn't seem too random or slow to any of you, but I'm trying to keep the characters in character, which is difficult with the limited amount of episodes I've seen.

Chapter Three: Explanations

"_I'll ask you once more; why are you here?"_

The hand at her neck tightened in accompaniment to the threat and she began to feel her windpipe constrict. She struggled slightly for a moment, but realized that she could not win a battle of brute strength.

"Wh-" She rasped, attempting to speak with her limited supply of air. "Why does it matter?"

"Argh!" He yelled as she began to feel his hands heat up. "Get off of my ship you pathetic thief!"

With that, he blasted her over the edge of the ship and turned to stalk back to the table, shaking with suppressed rage. He'd gone easy on her, since she was a woman, but if one more…

His thoughts were interrupted as he felt a rush of wind behind him and his eyes widened in shock and disbelief as he tried to process what was before him.

The "thief" was balancing on a spinning zephyr and it seemed that her pupils had bled into the rest of her eyes that were now shining obsidian.

"It's not possible." He whispers, recalling her earlier demonstration of firebending earlier.

Before either of them could make a move, a figure appeared in their path, arms held out to both sides. The flickering firelight that had been cast reveled a figure that both opponents recognized.

"Zuko," Iroh addressed his nephew in a calm voice, lowering his hands. "Stand down."

The aforementioned prince dropped his offensive stance and the fire in his palms dissipated as he continued to glare at the stranger.

"But how can she bend both air and fire without being an Avatar?" He questioned his Uncle eyes never leaving the figure before him.

"She is the Praetor, if I am not mistaken," Iroh said, as the wind about the floating girl seemed to dissipate. "And we should all show her some respect. Now, if it is not disagreeable to you, we can all go inside and discuss this over a nice hot cup of tea."

"Wait," The Praetor said as she landed on the ground, as her eyes returned to their normal pale gray hue and projected her confusion. "You look so familiar… like an old firebender I once knew, only his name was Ifrit… exactly like him…"

"What the hell is a Praetor? What does this have to do with Ifrit? He's-" Zuko's frustrated questions were cut off by Iroh.

"It seems we have much to discuss." He said, walking briskly to the cabin door and leaving the two slightly confused figures to glare at each other for a moment longer before they followed him stiffly into the bowels of the ship.

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The three figures were seated on the floor, each with a steaming cup of tea in front of them before the silence was broken as the two teenagers on the ends bombarded Iroh with questions.

"Uncle what is a Praetor?" "How do you know Ifrit?" "Why is she here?" "What happened to the country?" "What does she have to do with the Avatar?"

"Patience." The softly spoken word from the old man caused both teens to glare at the other with mistrust and look expectantly to Iroh.

"The Praetor is a being much like the Avatar." He began. "Nature, you see, needed to balance the Avatar out. Fire is the opposite of Water and Air is the opposite of Earth; it's the way things are. The Praetor is the opposite of the Avatar, then. Both can bend all four elements, but the Avatar is tasked with keeping peace between the four nations. The Praetor, on the other hand, creates the balance between the nations. The Praetor is the one that decides who shall gain the ability to bend and keeps the ratio between nations even. The Praetor also decides who will become the next Avatar and Praetor. The Praetor is the Avatar's ally and opposite; creating balance. Is that about right?" He turned to the girl on his left.

"About." She answered cryptically before taking a sip of her tea, appreciating its calming power.

Zuko sat silently; obviously processing the information he'd been given. One could see his calculating mind working as he realized the potential of his situation as well as the questions still unanswered and the vagueness of his Uncle's description.

"Now," Iroh said, clearing his throat and addressing the Praetor. "Before I answer any more questions, I have one for you. " Are you called Kei?"

"Yes," She replied, her eyes changing quickly from shock to suspicion. "How do you know that? I know I've never met you."

"Aah," Iroh said with a smile. "But you knew someone who looked eerily similar to me, no? Went by the name of Ifrit?"

"What does he have to do with her?" Zuko asked flatly. "He's been dead for years."

"What?" Kei asked incredulously.

"You see," Iroh began gently. "Ifrit is indeed dead. He was my grandfather and Prince Zuko here's great-grandfather. I believe that I am correct in assuming that you have been in a stasis for the past one hundred years."

"A hundred years?" Kei echoed in a far away voice. "No… no. No…"

Iroh sighed as the distressed Praetor bolted out of the room. After taking another long sip of his tea, he turned to his nephew's brooding stare.

"Uncle, tell me what is going on here." Zuko ordered, his voice steel.

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Kei burst onto the deck, panting and ran to the bow as fast as her feet could carry her. Looking around her, she found herself unable to cope with the facts that Iroh had revealed.

As soon as he had spoken those words, one hundred years, she could feel her heart rejecting the thought while she simultaneously sensed the weight of years past upon her soul. The iron belly she was trapped within had become suffocating and she felt the walls closing in.

As Kei concentrated on her breathing and collecting herself, she recalled all the lessons that she'd learned from her mentor and the previous Praetor. Calming oneself was key because possessing the power to bend all four elements was complicated and her confusion and anger could spin out of control. Taking deep, calming breaths, Kei tried to ignore the bitter taste of soot in the air as she balanced on the railing, staring serenely towards the horizon, letting her day slowly sink in.

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A/N: Ok, that's where I'm going to leave it for now, but I do intend to update within the next two days because I have spring break. I'm hoping that the next chapter will be over 2,000 words.

Kei is pronounced as "key"

I know that not much was explained in this chapter, but you will learn more as the characters do and the plot progresses.

I'd like to quote sayajin peach 18:

"Reviews to fanfiction authors are like crack to a junkie."

Please tell me what you think and review! They DO persuade me to update faster with longer chappies!


	4. Agreement

Disclaimer: If I owned the rights to Avatar, why would I be writing this?

So sorry this took so long to get out.

Praetor

Chapter Four: Agreement

"Uncle Iroh…" Prince Zuko repeated a few moments after Kei fled the room.

"I know, I know, you want answers, Zuko." Iroh sighed as he replied, turning to face his ward. "Now, what would you like to know?"

"This… praetor, will she have the same power as the Avatar? Could she defeat him?" He asked carefully.

"No." Iroh stated firmly. "The Praetor's power cannot match that of the Avatar. They have an average power level over all elements. It is their control, strategy, and the use of all four elements that place them second only to the Avatar. Although, I do not doubt that she could defeat the Avatar now due to the experience he lacks." He added as an afterthought.

"How was she… dormant for a hundred years?"

"I am not sure. I can only assume that the Praetor and the Avatar are linked and whatever sent the Avatar into a stasis affected her as well." Iroh's face became thoughtful and his eyes sparkled as he smiled at Zuko. "I think that we should take her with us."

"What!" Zuko yelled, throwing a confused look towards Iroh. "Isn't she the Avatar's ally?"

"I suppose so, but I'm sure she's looking for him and, since she has no animal guide, we're her quickest route." Iroh stated confidently. "Yes, that will work out nicely; I can train the both of you…"

"Uncle, stop! What are you thinking?" Zuko asked as Iroh stood up and left the room, oblivious to his seething nephew.

'Deep breaths, deep breaths' Zuko repeated as he attempted to remain sitting in the room and not chase after his eccentric uncle. 'He's a wise fire master; he has to have a plan, right?'

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Kei cracked open an irritated eye as she heard a cough behind her. "What?" She snapped.

"It seems that you have much work ahead of you." Iroh stated as he came to rest upon the rail she was balanced on and gaze out towards the horizon. Taking her silence as a signal to continue, he turned to look at her schooled mask. "I imagine that your first instinct is to find the Avatar."

"Yes." She stiffly agreed. "I must find him."

"You are aware that he has just recently returned form a hundred year absence as well?" Iroh stated, keeping a light tone.

"I suspected as much." Kei admitted, glancing at Iroh for a moment. "I know that he doesn't have much experience, which only worsens our situation."

"You don't have much experience either." Iroh stated firmly, noticing her grimace.

"I have more than the Avatar." She curtly replied.

"But you have not yet mastered all of your powers." Iroh countered, turning to face the girl fully. Taking her silence as an agreement, Iroh smirked. "Well then, I believe that I have a proposition for you."

"What?" Kei asked, caught off guard.

"I propose that you travel with us for the time being. My nephew has been trailing the Avatar for some time and we are bound to run into him soon. In the meantime, I will train you, if you let me."

"That is a very generous offer…" Kei stated, sliding off the railing to consider Iroh's offer. "But why does the Prince chase the Avatar? Is he working for his father? What does he plan to do once he captures him?"

"Those are questions to which I think even Prince Zuko cannot answer." Iroh stated with a slight smile. "I can, however, tell you why he chases the Avatar; he wishes to regain his honor."

After a moment of silent deliberation, Kei gave her decision.

"I accept your offer, for the time being. Once we catch up to the Avatar, however, our agreement is void."

"Very well, then." Iroh stated with a content smile. "We shall begin immediately. Come with me."

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"Zuko!" Iroh's voice rang through the flames and both Zuko the solider he was sparrign against halted their practice.

"Yes Uncle?" The Prince asked as he turned around, immediately noting Key's presence as well.

After dismissing the solider Zuko was sparring with, Iroh faced the Prince and beckoned for Key to approach them as well.

"I have given you both an opportunity to increase your training to the levels only masters attain. Before I begin, I must first take a measure of your knowledge. You two will spar in one hour. Until then, I suggest that the two of you meditate to prepare. Ready your body and mind for a challenge because this will be a physically and mentally taxing experience. You have one hour." Nodding to his pupils, Iroh smiled and approached a nearby solider, asking him if he would enjoy a small game.

Zuko growled as he clenched his fists and marched over the starboard side of the ship, and sat cross-legged on the floor. Closing his eyes, he fell into a deep meditation; a place in his mind where he could freely examine his strengths and weaknesses and prepare for the fight.

Kei cracked one eye open from her perch on the railing on the opposite side of the ship as she examined her opponent. Although they had clashed during the night, she had no real inclination of his power or style of fighting. Emptying her mind, she examined what she already knew. First, he was a fire bender, so he would probably fight aggressively and directly as a fire bender typically would. Second, his Uncle, who was obviously a Fire Master, had confidence that they would be easily matched, a fact that she would have to be wary of…

The hour passed quickly and both opponents were napped out of their thoughts as Iroh's voice carried over the tranquil sound of the waves. Both opponents stood and approached the center of the deck, neither one noticed the crowd of eager soldiers peering down from the Captain's cabin.

"All right, you two." Iroh stated, standing in between them. "I expect you to give this your all, but I will have to instate a few rules. Do not allow your fight to seriously damage the ship, you may not force your opponent below deck nor up into the upper deck or cabin, and the fight will cease either when one of you surrenders to the other or I declare it so."

"You may begin." Iroh declared as he backed away from the two.

Both Zuko and Kei gave a short bow to each other before they slid into a fighting stance. Zuko firmly planted his feet on the ground, bent his knees slightly, and held his hands stiffly in front of him. Kei shifted her weight backwards, extended her left foot and lifted its heel off of the ground, her hands raised and each finger curled slightly as she began to shift her weight lightly and sway in place. They remained in place, each waiting for the other to attack. After a moment of waiting, Kei moved swiftly, charging Zuko's right side before flinging a blast of air into his face, which was blocked with a wave of flames. Using Zuko's slight distraction to her advantage, Kei leapt over Zuko to land on his right side and send a blast of fire towards his torso. Zuko slid to the floor and slid his leg into an arc towards Kei's knees as her fire blast flew over his head.

Up in the Captain's cabin, Iroh looked on with an unreadable expression. Ignoring the bets being placed behind him, he concentrated on the two fighting below. As the fight continued, his expression grew more and more content…

Back on the deck, the clash between the two teens raged on for hours. They continued with an amazing intensity, never pausing for a break for either food or drink. Both were determined to continue the fight, and, although they both could feel the strain placed on their bodies, both reveled in the thrill of battle and were secretly impressed with their own performance as well as their opponent's.

The deck had become covered in black scorch marks, sported many deep scratches, and had water in numerous puddles all around it. Neither opponent registered those aspects of the deck, however. All they could see was their opponent and, after so many hours of secluded combat, they had become a part of an intimate ritual to which the spectators could only imagine. Panting, both figures, their silhouettes dark under the shadow of the cabin, continued to move, wiping the sweat out of their eyes and ignoring all but their opponent's next move. Their battle was no longer a spar for Iroh; they had become two nameless fighters who embodied a warrior's spirit. Their bending transformed from weapons to a true extension of their bodies as they battled on.

Iroh tore his eyes away from the fascinating battle to glance at the slightly pink sky. He sighed as he exited the cabin and emerged onto the deck.

"Enough!" He boomed as he sent a fireball in between the two teens.

As he approached the two, he could feel their urge to fight consuming the air. Looking down at the exhausted teens, he smiled; neither would have lasted much longer. Although they presented a spectacular fight, they still had much to learn and, to Iroh's experienced eye, it became apparent that after the first hour of fighting neither truly wished for the fight to end so they did not fight to their fullest.

"Come you two." He said, walking towards the stairway, "It's time to eat."

Both fighters remained stationary for a moment longer, panting, before Zuko shook his head and followed his uncle. Sighing, Kei took a deep breath and cleared all of the water off of the deck before following in the suit.

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A/N: Ok, sorry that took so long to get out and it was so short, but I'm sick at the moment. Hopefully I'll get this out soon, but it'd make the process a lot easier if I had a beta. Any takers? If you're interested, please e-mail me at be sure to include the word beta in the subject.

Ja Ne!


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